"Harvest" Round Stained Glass Panel & Online Shop Plan One

Finished this lovely piece just over a week ago. I never really used to be into fall colors. Then one of my best friend's mentioned her favorite color is orange...Since then I have found myself drawn to a lot more orange. I chose the dark amber jewel in the center and built my colors around it. Unable to find a fifth color that I liked I hit upon the unlikely use of pink-and it worked perfectly!

You've heard me talk about some things I want to do with my on-line jewelry stores. One of the first, biggest and most important change I have planned is the removal of ALL the pieces that I feel do not suit the design style I have settled upon. These are different dichroic techniques and styles I have tried my hand at in my dichroic journey and have decided are not what I want to do. I will be removing the current post earrings, all etched design pieces and the simple wire wrapped bail pendants and all the other pieces that don't suit. These will be moved over to my Glass Goddess shop and sold as supplies until they are gone.

"Five Little Windows, All In A Row..."

Five little window, all in a row.....Just waiting to go home with the big one! These turned out so pretty. It's amazing how a bit of colored glass, some bevels and a classic background glass (like the glue chip used here) almost always seems to turn out so amazingly beautiful and classy!

These six panels (the one from my previous post) have been picked up by their proud new owners and will be heading to South Carolina next week. The owners are pleased and happy and already trying to figure out how to fill three windows that are high up in the home. The five small panels will be set into an existing five panel, tall narrow sidelight type window and the big one will be only a few feet away at the bottom of a stairway.

Student Project & Late Night Brainstorms

One of the things I do besides fusing glass and making jewelry is teaching stained glass. Usually I teach the copper foil method or the "Tiffany" style of stained glass. I teach a very small "hands-on" class designed to allow the student to see if they really like doing stained glass before they invest a lot of money into tools and supplies.

This is my current student's work in progress. He is a beginner and this is his second class. The background is a white iridescent wispy glass and the star is out of Fremont scraps. The amber moon is going to be changed to blue. Although it looked good with the pink and green glass...it just looks "off". I think it is because there is no amber in the iridescent coating of the white glass. The medium blue waterglass chosen should really tie the whole piece together nicely. It is really neat to teach someone who isn't afraid of color!

I tried to go to sleep at a decent hour last night-instead my mind decided to have a major brainstorming session that kept me up until almost three. I've been wanting to come up with some different jewelry collections/lines. I love using different techniques to get different looks in my dichroic jewelry. Which has helped me to realize that I already have "informal" collections. What I need to do is to define these these styles and name them. Then I can design new pieces to compliment these collections. I was actually able to define one of these last night. I believe I shall name it "Modern" or "Modern Bold". These are the pieces that are bright, bold, colorful and have a lot of the dichroic coating facing the top of the glass, uncapped just like this bracelet!

Oriental Flowers Stained Glass Panel

Here is Mike's newest finished stained glass panel. I think he did an amazing job!

Just finished another wonderful class with a wonderful student. It is so rewarding watching the student "get it" and then the moment when they look back, see and realize their improvements and accomplishments. I have been privileged to meet many wonderful and amazing people since I started teaching stained glass.

Mike's Rainbow Trout

Here are the windows my ex, Mike has just finished. A lovely pair of Rainbow Trout done completely in clear and iridized glass. There is even a pair of small bugs that the trout are jumping to catch. These will be flanking a fireplace. I think he has done a wonderful job. Yes, he drew these up from scratch too!

For me today was a busy, but unproductive on the jewelry end. I did laundry, accompanied my aunt, filled holes dug by puppies and taught stained glass. I did manage to get my wire though. I live four or five blocks from my favorite bead store and have decided that I need to start walking there instead of combining going there with other errands. So while I was there I asked "If I walk there with my little dog, could he come in with me?". The answer was yes! So from now on if the weather isn't to horrid Brutus and I will be walking there. He is a shop dog and has good people manners so I don't have to worry about him being a brat either. I decided to give you a peek of the next cab I'm finishing into a pendant.

Days 20 & 21 Of The AEDM Challenge

I finished this lovely pendant necklace yesterday. I do believe I will name it "Parfait" or "Berry Parfait". What do you think of that for a name? I think this pendant turned out quite lovely. I plan to get it listed tomorrow.

Today I had a show. We set up most of it last night. Finished the set up this morning before the doors opened. I did fairly well considering. This picture is of the stained/fused & slumped glass table. The three large butterflies in the middle are the ones I was working on the other day.

I don't think I'm going to do anything other than go to bed tonight. If I change my mind and do create something I will share it tomorrow. I have done really well so far, but I think after working a show I refuse to feel guilty about not creating today. I may make two tomorrow as make up though.

As for that picture I promised you.....That is the fugliest batch of fusing I have ever done. I tried capping the ripple with a third layer of thin clear glass so as to make full use of the dichroic glass. I believe it was just a bit too much. I really lost the ripple effect and the dichroic glass is just "lost" in the base glass.

Day 18 Of The AEDM Challenge

I started my day out by getting these butterflies cut out and ground. (day 18 of the AEDM challenge) I had planned to only make two of these butterflies , but ended up with three color combinations. The one on the far left is in shades of orange, yellow and amber. The middle one is blue and purple and the one on the right is purple and blue.

Then because it was sunny, dry and not to cold I decided to sand my kiln shelves off. I have been putting that dreaded task off for a while now. Three kiln shelves with the kiln wash sanded off of them and two customers later the shelves were clean. Next it was time to give them a fresh coating of kiln wash. I mixed it up and painted it on. Helpful hint-To speed up the drying process between coats I use a heat gun to dry the coats of kiln wash. I suppose a hairdryer would also do the trick, but have never tried it. This also works on molds as well!

For day 18 of the AEDM challenge I finally made up a shelf of 12mm dichroic cabochons. I have been needing to make these for a while. I received the dichroic glass I needed to make these at least two weeks ago. The kiln shelves were were ready to go and I needed to have them done by Friday morning. When I wake up in the morning I will have 184 dichroic fused glass cabochons. That is 268 pieces of glass! All hand cut, cleaned and arranged on that kiln shelf!

p.s. I finished this at one am PST. I have to go to bed and sleep before it is "tomorrow" to me. So expect another post for day 19!

(I'm sorry. I have no idea why the photos disappeared. Just added them...again.)

Day 11 Of AEDM Challenge

I managed to get another pendant put together for the AEDM challenge. I call it "Eclipse". Today is day eleven. I used one of my dichroic fused glass cabochons in black and silver. I wire wrapped it in sterling silver with another woven bail. This wire wrapping variation looks much better to me than the previous two. Now I just need to practice the technique! AEDM challenge is going to give a wonderful chance to do just that!

I also wish to share my newest stained glass project. I have gotten it all cut out and then ground the edges to remove jagged corners and sharp edges. This also helps to fit the pieces together nicely. Tomorrow I will foil it, solder it, clean, patina, clean and wax it. I'm excited to see it all finished and held up to the light!

Day 5 of AEDM Challenge & Big Weekend Sale!

Well today is the fifth day in the challenge. One thing I had hoped to accomplish was creating a new piece of jewelry each day besides making suncatchers in the glass studio. Tonight I was just to tired after squabbling with my son. But........today in the glass studio I cut out another six angels. I I ground them and the one left from yesterday. I also managed to foil three of them. Tomorrow I will finish foiling them so I can get them soldered, cleaned and waxed. When I am making small suncatchers like these angels it is very time-saving to make them in batches rather than one at a time.

I have decided to have a HUGE sale this weekend in my Artfire Studio, Willow Walker Designs. I will take 50% off everything in my studio on this Saturday and Sunday except for my $5.00 rings. I will also be offering free shipping on all orders over $15.00!

Celtic Cross & Bedroom Finale!

Saturday my ex finished the Celtic Cross and I finished the last corner of my bedroom! Didn't the cross come out lovely? I have a feeling we will soon be making one to hang in the shop. I need to make angels, small panels and other colorful goodies.

I now need to put the finishing touches on my room. I still have two large storage totes and a box to go through sort and take care of. I also have a box of Barbie stuff to put away until I find a home for it and a bag of activity stuff to donate to the pediatrics's wing at my local hospital. I still plan for more sorting and reducing of stuff later. I have a few chores that need to be done first, namely cleaning the laundry room and defrosting the freezer. Our beef will be ready for pick up by the end of the week.

Today (Sunday) we, my ex, my son, the dogs and I went to my aunt's house and helped her make jam. It was neat to go help and learn how to make jam. I've never made jam before and neither had my ex. We received the teaching and guidance of jam making combined from the lives of three women spanning two generations. I was also privileged to be the third generation to use the favorite wooden spoon and ladle favored first by my grandmother and then my aunt and now me. The spoon has been worn smooth at an angle from decades of being used by right handed women stirring pots with it. The ladle is shaped like a fat teardrop with the handle on one side so as you tip the ladle the contents spill out the pointed end. This end is perfect for pouring the jelly mixture into the small mouths of the jelly jars. And to learn the tips that my aunt, mother and grandmother have tested out over the decades in pursuit of safer, simpler canning techniques.

Mrs. Wiper's Transom Windows

I just wanted to take a minute and share the latest finished commission piece from our stained glass studio. A transom window for a favorite client, Mrs. Wiper.

I'm sorry the picture isn't better but cloudy weather does not help in getting good pictures.